Linker Options
LINK is a tool that links Common Object File Format (COFF) object files and libraries to create a executable (.exe) file or dynamic-link library (DLL).
The table below is a comprehensive list of options for LINK.exe. This section also includes information on:
Linker options specified on the command line are not case sensitive: /base and /BASE mean the same thing.
You can specify some linker options via the comment pragma.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Specifies a response file | |
| Specifies the alignment of each section | |
| Specifies that a DLL cannot be bound | |
| Specifies behavior for manifest lookup. | |
| Adds the DebuggableAttribute to a managed image. | |
| Create a link to a managed resource. | |
| Specifies that a Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) module should be imported into the assembly | |
| Embeds a managed resource file to an assembly | |
| Sets a base address for the program | |
| Sets the type (IJW, pure, or safe) of a CLR image. | |
| Preserves the last error code of functions called through the P/Invoke mechanism. | |
| Specify which threading attribute you want applied to the entry point of your CLR program. | |
| /CLRUNMANAGEDCODECHECK specifies whether the linker will apply the SuppressUnmanagedCodeSecurity attribute to linker-generated PInvoke stubs that call from managed code into native DLLs. | |
| Creates debugging information | |
| Passes a module-definition (.def) file to the linker | |
| Searches the specified library when resolving external references | |
| Controls the delayed loading of DLLs | |
| Causes the delayed loading of the specified DLL | |
| Partially sign an assembly. | |
| Builds a DLL | |
| Creates a Windows NT kernel mode driver | |
| Sets the starting address | |
| Report internal linker errors to Microsoft. | |
| Exports a function | |
| Creates a program that can be loaded only at its preferred base address | |
| Forces a link to complete in spite of unresolved or symbols defined more than once | |
| Creates a hotpatchable image. | |
| Sets the size of the heap in bytes | |
| Specifies the name of the .idl file and other MIDL output files | |
| Prevents processing attribute information into an .idl file | |
| Overrides the default import library name | |
| Forces symbol references | |
| Controls incremental linking | |
| Specify a key container to sign an assembly. | |
| Specify key or key pair to sign an assembly. | |
| Tells the compiler that the application supports addresses larger than two gigabytes | |
| Allows the user to override the environmental library path | |
| Specifies link-time code generation | |
| Specifies the target platform | |
| Create a side-by-side manifest file. | |
| Specify a <dependentAssembly> section in your manifest file. | |
| Change the default name of the manifest file. | |
| Creates a mapfile | |
| Includes the specified information in the mapfile | |
| Combines sections | |
| Specifies MIDL command line options | |
| Suppresses the creation of a .NET Framework assembly | |
| Ignores all (or specified) default libraries when resolving external references | |
| Creates a resource-only DLL | |
| Suppresses startup banner | |
| Marks an executable as having been tested to be compatible with Windows Data Execution Prevention feature. | |
| Controls LINK optimizations | |
| Places COMDATs into the image in a predetermined order | |
| Specifies the output file name | |
| Creates a program database (PDB) file | |
| Creates a program database (PDB) file with no private symbols | |
| Specify .pgd file for profile guided optionizations. | |
| Produces an output file that can be used with the Performance Tools profiler. | |
| Sets the Checksum in the .exe header | |
| Specify that the image will contain a table of safe exception handlers. | |
| Overrides the attributes of a section | |
| Sets the size of the stack in bytes | |
| Attaches an MS-DOS stub program to a Win32 program | |
| Tells the operating system how to run the .exe file | |
| Tells the operating system to copy the linker output to a swap file before running it | |
| Allows you to specify the resource ID of the linker-generated type library | |
| Specifies the name of the .tlb file and other MIDL output files | |
| Creates an application that is specifically designed to run under Terminal Server | |
| Prints linker progress messages | |
| Assigns a version number | |
| Treat linker warnings as errors. |
For related information, see Compiler-Controlled LINK Options.
Reference
Setting Linker OptionsFrequently Asked Questions on Building
